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Lane County Passes Jail Levy

A Lane County levy to fund jail and youth services passed by by 57-43 percent. The five-year property tax will allow Lane County Jail to increase jail capacity and provide treatment services for youth offenders.

County Sheriff Tom Turner supported the measure, and says it passed because voters were well-informed about what it would do.

Turner said, “It¹s very difficult economic times, and people are very hesitant to have any tax. But they recognize that they’ve got to have this, and they recognize that there¹s no alternative.”

In about two months, additional jail beds will be available to the county. The levy raises 55 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The sheriff’s office estimates it will cost the average homeowner in the county about $85 per year, based on a median assessed home value of about $155,000.